Gladiolus cylindraceus G.J.Lewis

Plants 300-500 mm high. Corm globose, 12-20 mm diam.; tunics of medium-textured to moderately thick, ± wiry fibres, accumulating in a neck around base of stem. Stem flexed outward above sheaths of upper 1 or 2 leaves, unbranched. Leaves 3, lower 1 or 2 basal, lowermost sheathing stem for a short distance or only near ground, reaching to between base and apex of spike, suberect, main vein much raised thus cross-shaped in section, 2-3 mm diam., second leaf sheathing lower 1/2 of stem, overlapping uppermost leaf, blade fairly short with main vein less thickened than basal leaf, uppermost leaf inserted in middle to upper 1/3 of stem, mostly sheathing. Spike flexed at base and inclined, lightly flexuose, 5-to 8-flowered; bracts pale greenish grey, outer 18-28 mm long, inner shorter to nearly as long as outer, acute. Flowers salver-shaped, pale creamy pink to salmon-coloured, lower 3 tepals with reddish diamond-shaped mark in lower midline, sometimes with white to yellow centre, unscented; perianth tube cylindric, (25-)35-52 mm long, flared only near apex, half again as long to twice as long as bracts; tepals broadly lanceolate or dorsal ovate, dorsal largest, (18-)20-25 x 11-14 mm, lightly inclined or spreading at right angles to tube, upper laterals 18-25 x 9-12 mm, suberect or spreading, lower 3 tepals sometimes united with upper laterals for 1-2 mm and together for ± 2 mm, 15-21 x 7-8 mm, nearly straight, inclined. Filaments 7-8 mm long, exserted 3-4 mm from tube; anthers 5-8 mm long, white; pollen cream-coloured. Style ± straight, adaxial to stamens, dividing opposite upper third or shortly beyond anthers, branches 3-4 mm long. Capsules and seeds unknown.